


a humble man

by thisnewthing (strokeof_genie)



Series: a blended family [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Awesome Pepper Potts, F/M, Gen, May Parker (Spider-Man) & Tony Stark Coparenting Peter Parker, Mentor Tony Stark, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Supportive May Parker (Spider-Man), Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-16
Updated: 2019-07-16
Packaged: 2020-06-29 07:53:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19825774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strokeof_genie/pseuds/thisnewthing
Summary: “Oh look, it’s the CEO of Stark Industries, it’s the Man come to take your hard earned dollars out of your pocket,” Tony said, and both Peter and Pepper looked at him like he was out of his mind.“Tony,” Pepper said, massaging her forehead.“Mr. Stark, it’s your name on the company. Doesn’t that make you the Man?” Peter asked.“How can I hear the emphasis on man every time you two say it?” Pepper said rhetorically as she sat down at her desk.





	a humble man

**Author's Note:**

> peter parker can have my soul if he wants, so he definitely gets an alive tony and a completely supportive if unconventional family. also hmu to talk about these nerds, i would really love that

"C'mon, kid, before we head into the lab we gotta fill out some paperwork," Tony said, and led Peter into a room he'd only been inside a few times - Pepper's office in the penthouse. The first time had been to fill out his actual intern paperwork since Stark Industries took that stuff seriously, according to Pepper - 

( _"So, yeah, Pep took care of all the details like wage -"_

_"I get paid?!" Peter had interrupted, as he watched Tony rifle through paperwork and mutter._

_"Of course you get paid, what kind of question is that, you build things in my lab and you - have - paperwork - somewhere," Tony said, grumbling and flicking papers. "Even if you never produce anything for the company, you gotta have the appropriate forms filled out, work permit from Hot Aunt and school, whole bunch of stuff. We got audited last year and if you don't fill out this tax crap Pep will come after us," Tony said, and then called out, "FRIDAY, where did Pep say his stuff was again?"_

_"Ms. Potts left it in your lab under the textbook Mr. Parker left, on the table next to your collection of dirty coffee cups," FRIDAY announced, and Peter watched Tony wince as he looked at the mess he made on Ms. Potts' desk._ )

\- and once on a rare occasion to do homework and keep Ms. Potts company - 

( _Tony had forgotten to tell Peter he was "grounded by his fiance and had to attend a few meetings, lame, save me Spider-man!" Peter and Pepper watched the hologram as Tony called them from his jet, because he was bored._

_“Tony’s talented enough to get bored on an hour long flight,” Pepper murmured to Peter, and Peter laughed._

_“I see how it is,” Tony huffed, pretending to be upset. “I leave for a day and you find a replacement mentor, huh?”_

_“Well, she is the CEO of Stark Industries, Mr. Stark,” Peter said and grinned at Ms. Potts._

_“Stark! My name is on the company, Peter. My last name,” Tony said, as if Peter were in the dark about that fact._

_“I’m taking that from you too, sweetie. Have a nice time!” And with that, Ms. Potts hung up on him._

_"I am sorry that you came all this way for nothing, I guess. Well, I see you all the time, Peter, but it'd be nice to spend some time together - even if I read reports and you do homework. Right?" Ms. Potts had asked, and seemed almost hesitant, like Peter wouldn't want to hang out with Ms. Potts, CEO of Stark Industries._

_"Of course, Ms. Potts! That sounds great," Peter had replied, and he had attempted to do his homework in his lap hunched over, before Ms. Potts had moved a couple of things around and made him pull up a chair to the corner of her desk. She had FRIDAY call down to order food for them, and told Peter that he was good for Tony, since Tony's Juicebox Protocol made certain that he took care of Peter, and himself._

_"Things he'd be a hypocrite for asking you to do if he ignored them, you know? You're a good influence on him," Ms. Potts said, smiling, Peter had beamed at her even though he was embarrassed that such a protocol existed in the first place._

_“Thanks, Ms. Potts,” Peter said, and then thought for a moment before he said, “Aunt May says that Mr. Stark is a good influence on me, too.”_

_Ms. Potts laughed. “I’m sure she’s as surprised as I am, about that. Please call me Pepper, okay?”_

_“Okay, Pepper,” Peter said bashfully, looking down at his homework._ )

\- and once because of legal paperwork -

( _Tony was perched on Pepper’s desk, Pepper seated at the desk, while May and Peter were seated in the chairs in front._

_“This was something I always worried about, you know, given our family...history,” both Peter and May winced when May said that, “so I’m relieved you’re willing to do this,” May said gratefully, and Peter nervously eyed her, and then Tony and Pepper._

_Pepper graciously said, “Of course we are, we adore Peter. You know that, right?” She asked, and was looking between Peter and May. Tony was looking at Peter, too, but in an uncharacteristically quiet and discerning way._

_“I - um,” Peter just nodded. May was putting the Starks - or Tony and Pepper Potts - in her will, to get him if anything should happen. To her. The paperwork was going to be handled by the Starks’ lawyers, so that it would be continuously up to date, once they got married, if May ever remarried, any reason at all._

_“Nothing’s going to happen to you, though,” Tony said. It was quietly said, but spoken with absolute confidence. He was looking at Peter as he spoke. “You and Pete, you’re our family. Nothing’s going to happen to either of you,” Tony reiterated, and Peter nodded again and let loose a shuddery sort of breath._

_Later, once Pepper had walked May to the kitchen to get a bottle of wine to share after the signatures were drying, Tony was still looking at Peter like he was a particularly troubling math problem. “Kiddo, you know I will do absolutely everything in my power to make sure your aunt lives forever for you, right?” He finally asked._

_Peter looked up at him, startled. “Oh, I - I know, Mr. Stark. I just really hate thinking about it, you know? It’d be the same if, uh,” and Peter just couldn’t articulate that he’d feel the same if they were discussing Pepper’s or Tony’s deaths, so he just flailed his hands in a gesture to encompass Tony, Pepper’s desk, and Tony again._

_Weirdly, Tony relaxed at that, and gave him a tired smile. “Okay, well, still. First, no one is gonna die, and second, Pepper was telling the truth. I’m not...good with this stuff, but no matter the circumstances you need to know that you’re always welcome here. We didn’t have you or raise you, but you’re our kid, you know?”_

_Mortifyingly, Peter could feel tears prick at his eyes, but Tony just rushed over the three feet they were apart and pulled him up into a hug. “Shh, shh, this is a mushy conversation that requires no tears, I’m a sympathetic crier, just ask Rhodey and Pep,” Tony said quickly, and Peter could hear the way his voice sounded choked up._

_Pepper and May found them a few minutes later, clearing their throats and drying their eyes with their shirts and loudly talking about programming a Nanotech repulsor hidden inside a watch for May. Pepper already had a variety of them, and a suit._ ) 

"What kind of paperwork?" Peter asked, and before Tony could answer, Peter followed it up with, "and are you sure that it's in here?" 

Tony stopped, glared at Peter, and then said, "FRIDAY, is that paperwork for Pete in here?"

"It is, but Ms. Potts is on her way, since this is technically her area of interest," FRIDAY said, and Peter tried to fight the nerves he felt at that. Pepper’s area of interest? Meaning the office? Or the paperwork itself? Stark Industries paperwork?

"Oh-ho, is it now. Well, you just let her know that not only are we wasting valuable time that Peter could be learning from me, but we’re a united front, Pete and I. She’s going to have to negotiate past the both of us and I’m going to keep thinking of arguments right up until she gets here," Tony turned to Peter, who was blushing. "That will get her to hurry."

"Hurry for what, though?" Peter asked, trying not to look too obviously at the contents of the personal desk of the CEO of Stark Industries. He listened to Pepper’s heels clicking as she walked closer, off the elevator and toward them. “Negotiations for what?”

"For the negotiations on the patent we're filing for your work! We weren't sure if it would be necessary during your first rounds of paperwork so we skipped the initial forms with the standard SI contract, but then you created a semifluid that can be shot with pinpoint accuracy about 200 meters that has enough tensile strength to hold buildings together and enough elastic potential energy to fling you through the city. AKA," Tony grinned, "Spider-man's web fluid. You gave us verbal permission to use it in other applications, but we can't until we protect your work as your own."

“Other applications? What did you have in mind? I mean, it’s waterproof so I guess all sorts of rescue operations can use it, since it’s binding but not, like, permanent. Oh, well, maybe in the medical field for temporary restraint on - uh, wounds since it’s encasing and sterile by nature, as long as it’s not applied directly to a wound since it stings. Which reminds me, last time I tried to make a version that wouldn’t hurt it like congealed in the shooters, I think it was the different acid I used because I tried one that wasn’t as irritating, do you think you could troubleshoot with me?” Peter asked, and took a breath finally.

“Of course, Pete,” Tony grinned, and shooed him over to sit in the chair he always sat in when in Pepper’s office. Tony slumped into the other, and then Pepper swept into the room, her heels muted on the carpet. “Oh look, it’s the CEO of Stark Industries, it’s the Man come to take your hard earned dollars out of your pocket,” Tony said, and both Peter and Pepper looked at him like he was out of his mind.

“Tony,” Pepper said, massaging her forehead.

“Mr. Stark, it’s your name on the company. Doesn’t that make you the Man?” Peter asked.

“How can I hear the emphasis on man every time you two say it?” Pepper said rhetorically as she sat down at her desk.

“Because of your status as the Man, as the one who will want to shake Petey down on what percentage of profits he gets, because this shit will go fast in the right fields,” Tony said, falsely combative, like he and Pepper really were going to start arguing over percentages of profits and Peter’s name going on patents.

And then they did start arguing about all of that, to Peter’s utter surprise and mortification. They never mentioned any numbers, but Pepper argued that the number would need to cover cost to produce the fluid, and perhaps make some money since it was a business. Tony argued that this was Peter, this was their genius child (Peter was sure he was sick and this was a fever dream, so he pinched himself quietly on the thigh,) and that whatever Pepper’s number was going to be unacceptable.

Finally, Peter had to interrupt. They were glaring at each other and he knew they’d be fine, but like, they had to sleep next to each other later. “Can - can you guys just say the numbers? Instead of doing this?”

Pepper spared a gentle look at him before half-heartedly glaring some more at Tony, and Tony pouted at Peter before sneering at Pepper again. “Fifty percent for the first four years, to be renegotiated if the recipes become easier to streamline or less costly to produce. After four years and upon renegotiation, we’ll probably ask for less, due to possible market saturation,” Pepper said, and Peter was. Floored.

“Fifty percent? Is that normal? That seems, uh, low. For SI, I mean?” Peter asked, completely out of his element and sort of desperate for guidance. He looked at Tony for support, only to see him look gobsmacked too.

“It is low, for Stark Industries,” Tony said slowly, glaring at Pepper again. Then he glanced at Peter encouragingly. “Great for you though! I guess Pepper wanted me to look like an ass tonight,” he said.

Pepper looked chagrined, but shrugged. “Well, he is our genius child after all. You really thought I would try seventy-thirty, didn’t you?” She eyed Tony like she dared him to admit it. Peter had to admit, that seemed more...businesslike. That was probably the real number on the standard contracts.

“I was guessing sixty-fourty, and I was going to try and argue fifty-fifty, to settle at fifty-five-forty-five. But this is an absolute win! I’m getting champagne, Pete you can have only a sip,” Tony said, and then fake sniffled as he stood and aggressively ruffled Peter’s hair before pressing a kiss to his head. “Baby’s first patent!”


End file.
